Bosak Lab

Postdocs

Dr. Mirna Daye

Postdoctoral Associate
Contact: mdaye[at]mit.edu

I am interested in the investigation of the different microbial populations and metabolisms conducive to the formation of stromatolites, in particular, the examination of anaerobic microbial consortium which promotes the precipitation of different minerals and carbonates.

Dr. Lily Momper

Crosby Postdoctoral Fellow
Contact: momper[at]mit.edu

One of the major obstacles to a clearer understanding of the earliest history of life on Earth is uncertainty in the timing of major biological events. Identifying the births and deaths of major gene pathways will help place those events in context of relevant geochemical events in Earth history, and conversely help to constrain the timing of those events. I use a combination of culturing, bioinformatics and lipidomics to understand the role of anoxygenic phototrophs in Earth’s history and to constrain better the timing of the advent of oxygenic photosynthesis in ancient bacterial lineages.

Dr. Mihkel Pajusalu

Postdoctoral AssociateContact: pajusalu[at]mit.edu

Currently I am investigating how bacterial gas production and consumption vary dependent on atmospheric composition, mainly focusing on photosynthesis. The goal is to have a better estimate about how life could affect the atmosphere on an exoplanet and thereby provide better markers for detecting life in the universe.